STAR Hub Engagement Manager

The STAR Hub (Start Health – Stay Healthy | Aligning Public and Planetary Health Through Precision Plant-Based Dietary Solutions across the Life-course) is a Diet and Health Open Innovation Research Club (OIRC) innovation hub, funded by the UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). It is led by the University of Surrey in collaboration with the Universities of Reading, Newcastle, Ulster, and Leeds. It brings together UK-based academics, businesses, and wider stakeholders in the food and drink sector to develop innovative and sustainable plant/fungi/algae-based products, services, and systems targeted at specific life stages to improve and maintain health across the life-course.

We are seeking a motivated Industry Engagement Manager, passionate about diet and health, particularly plant/fungi/algae-based foods, to manage and promote the STAR Hub's activities, build our Hub community, and broker new academic-industry partnerships leading to the development of new projects, external funding opportunities, and investment.

About you

In order to be successful in this post, you will need to evidence the following experience and skills: An understanding of knowledge exchange and of the research, policy, and market trends in diet and health or specifically plant/fungi/algae-based foods. Excellent time management and organisational skills, experience of working on bioscience-based projects, and in developing partnerships between academia and industry. Ability to understand the perspectives of businesses operating in the food industry, and to tailor content and communication to an audience’s needs.

How to apply

Please attach a CV and Cover Letter with your application outlining your experience against the essential criteria in the JD and motivation for the role. For informal enquiries about the role, please contact Dr Kourosh Ahmadi, STAR Hub Principal Investigator at star.ukri-oirc@surrey.ac.uk. Interviews will be held week commencing 20th October.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement of 25 days’ holiday + 7 closure days and 8 bank holidays (pro-rata). Generous pension, Hybrid/flexible working options. Supportive, family-friendly benefits including an excellent on-site nursery. Access to campus leisure facilities.